Perhaps my greatest intrigue in the life of the Buddha is reflected in this poem…
I of the Storm
Buddha, a Bodhisattva, remained in Enlightenment – the “Great Compassion” – forestalling Nirvana – “blowing out” – to help end the suffering of others.
For near eternity
I was planted
At the center of the whirled
Still
I extended my hand
Into the temp-est of awe
With such gust, oh, gust, oh
Gust
My won hand is slapped
The soul sound of victory
NOTE: The “sound of one hand clapping” is one of the more famous Zen koans, a paradox to be meditated upon that is used to train Zen Buddhist monks to abandon ultimate dependence on reason and to force them into gaining sudden intuitive enlightenment.
